PRESERVED MEAT.

Press, Volume VII, Issue 802, 25 May 1865, Page 3

PRESERVED MEAT.

[From the Morning Pott, 'YH 2S.] If the axiom be just, that he who causes two blades of grass to grow whore but one had iusherio btvn produced, is a benefactor to the human race, ..•.* thought and energy that bring into practical use sources of aliment avilable, but as yet overlooked or undiscovered, are equally entitled to the appellation. That force of intellect which meets the exigencies of an ever-increasing population by multiplying the sup- : ply of food on the spot can hardly be regarded in a 1 more meritorious light than the practical sagacity ' which rescues it from a locality where it lies utterly useless, and places it at the disposal of man for the I better preservation of his health and vigor. But when sufficient skill and commercial prudence have I united in not only thus adding to the stock of human | nutriment, but also in purveying it in so economical I a form that it is placed within the resources of an industrious class hitherto restricted to a diet of less sustaining and invigorating nature, the accomp-ish-ment of that benefit may be justly classed as amongst the most important and interesting discoveries of any age. To such a nation as Great Britain such a result is invaluable. Whether the average humidity of the climate necessitates the preponderance |of tho animal over the vegetable in the diet of our laboring classes may be left ,to the joint discusaiou of the anatomists and The me- [ teorologists. Bnt certain it is that^ ; those lof our laboring classes whose rate of wages eTSables them to indulge in it will perform an amount of work far harder and more continuous than any similar oody of men in any other nation, gjo the general health it is no less conducive than to strength, and the attention of the scientific has, in consequence, been long directed to the desirability of derising some means by which this benefit may be brought, within the compass almost of all. The introduction of the '* ciiiu'ijux," or "jerked" beef, has been an important, but only a primary step in this direction. It is so far an improvement upon "junk" that it is uot only cheaper, but it also removes, or rather ' lessens, in a. slight degree the objections which must ever cling to a too saline diet. The superiority on I the score of economy is of course patent, inasmuch as thi? material is beginning to be disposed of ih large quantities at 3d a pound, a sum very much under tho very lowest contract price at which ''junk " ii furnished to our navy. But its more important advantage is that it is fur more nutritious. Tne discoveries of scientific chemistry, which aro daily adding to our wonderment, as well as to our knowledge, have demonstrated, under the unerring experiments of Liebeg, that to cure meat entirely by brine is to deprive it of one-third of its nutriment. Such means of preservation, moreover, besides depriving it of its nutritive qualities, abstract froth it also those acids, the phosphoricx which invigorate the nervous system, and the lactic indispensable to digestion, tlie absence of which ensures the appearance of cutaneous disorders and scurvy. The "junk" thus cured is so impared as wholesome food that —as is well known to all who have undertaken a long sea voyage —vegetable juices become necessary to restore in a certain degree the' balance, and maintain average health. The brine, usually thrown away, has carried off a third of the nutritive value. Tlie "jerked beef" in a very great measure avoids this objection. It is cut into strips, merely dipped in pickle, and is then dried in a hot sun. The consequence is that the juices are dried up under the most favorable circumstances, fhe saline absorption is comparatively insignificant, and the meat thus cured is declared to contain fortyseven per cent, of fibrine, its most important nutritive element, whilst salt "junk" only presents seven. Whether to the knowledge of this quality, or to the fact of its being " meat" at so economical a cost, tho lower classes of London have been fortunately brought to appreciate the boon thus offered then..'- At many ofthe retail shops in the poorer districts, the announcement of a stock on hand for sale is followed by a " run" of eager crowds, who take it up as fast as it can bo served. But, unfortunately, it includes one single disadvantage which is likely to militate very seriously against its continuance in favour with the lower class, save the most prudeot—it is singularly defective in "flavour," though when properly cooked it becomes perfectly tender: it remains perfectlyitwijpidV' It requires to be dashed with a flavour not its own, and it is therefore very difficult to persuade its less intellectual consumers that it contains any intrinsic qualities at alls-'-. It-••very probable that this deficiency may bring it into disfavor, and may thus neutralise what would otherwise prove an important benefit to the community. Indeed, it is in alt likelihood to this that an adverse report" has been returned regarding it" from Alder-hot, the verdict from whence stated that the soldiers "found it distasteful, and considered that it was deficient in nutriment." As these judges, however, were making the experiment in contrast with a fresh-meat diet, perhaps their decision ought by no means to be accepted as final. Had they tried it after a long course of "junk" or a bread-and-cheese regimen only, they might have been more alive to its real merits. .

There is, however, connected with this subject a discovery being introduced to the pubhc wliich will in all likelihood effect an entire revolution on the question, A Mr. Morgan, professor of anatomy in the Irish College of Surgeons, announces that he has arrived at a process of preserving meat which will remain fit for food any reasonable time, which retains its entire nutritive qualities, and in flavour is hardly to be distinguished from newly-killed food. Moreover, the process of effecting this is more economical than any other. This process is most simple,- though most ingenious, both which qualities perhaps, it derives from being an humble imitation of nature, Instead of steeping the meat in brine, instead of placing it under an exhausted receiver, and then causing the emptied pores to imbibe a rush of brine, as was unsuccessfully attempted some five-and-. twenty years ago, Professor Morgan follows a higher model. Wherever nature has propelled the vital fluid during life, there he injects his preserving fluid after death. To spare our readers anatomical details as much as possible, we will merely say that Professor Morgan requires his victim to be killed by some instantaneous process, such as dividing tbe spineHe then at once cuts open the chest, and inserts a tube into the the aorta, or great arterial duct of the mammalian system. By means of this tube he forces diluted, brine through the arteries, veins, and the most minute vessels of the carcase. He thus—and in about two minutes in the case of an ox—washes all these ducts perfectly clear ot blood, which he prevents from returning as in nature, to the heart, by severing its place of entrance ' at the left ventricle. He then closes that aperture, and at the aorta, by the same means, he injects his preserving fluid of brine and saltpetre, augmented at will by any nutritive components, such as sugar, ! phosphoric and lactic acid, and even a solution of 1 spices. With such incredible minuteness does this I fluid permeate the whole body, that wherever in life a cut would have produced blood, there, after this, process, would the preserving fluid exude. For this , preparation of a whole ox it requires, Professor Morgan tells us, not more than ten minutes, and the cost is about a shilling. The meat. lies thus for about em. hour, is then dried and packed, and when re-opened ] for use will be found to have lost not a single One of its nutritive qualities, can be used in every possible form of cooking; and retains all the flavour of fretih meat. Professor. Morgan adduces in proof of his statement-that for our own Admiralty at Deptford, and for the French Government at Bochefort, he has demonstrated the success of his system. At the former place, in twenty-four hours, he killed, preserved, and packed fifteen oxen, whioh, when they wen examined at the end of seven months, wars found to be all that was desired. His experiment in France was still more conclusive, for in ths hottest month (August) he thus prepared oxen and sheep with perfect success, and the soup—a. severe test—-as well, as the other dishes prepared from them, was pronounced "admirable." The'value of such a discovery is obvious. The cost of the meat which may thus be preserved will, in many parte of South' America and Australia, amount to not' more' than a sixth of the price of butcher's meat here. On the Pampas it may he had almost lor the trouble, of catching it. There are countless niLCUons of cattle

there that are produced, browse, arid die, without fulfilling their end. utility to man, in any way, save perhaps hy the roprou u*tion of their species. Of tho use which may be made of this neglected material in vitally ameliorating the condition of our laboring classes, the prospect is boundless. It is to be trusted that the system of Professor Morgan will be carried out on a scale proportionate to the benefits it will confer. It is to be hoped that he himself will reap both honor and profit from his exertions, the result of which justly entitle him to be considered a benefactor to the human race.

A Liok Tambr Killed.—Soiilages, a lion tamer, met a very tragieat fete at Wurteburg, Bavaria. lately. Being loudly applauded for his courage and command over the wild beasts, he collected in one den a lion, a lioness, a white bear, two black bears, four hyenas, two wolves and ft tiger. He thon entered himsalf, whip hi hand, hut the door was scarcely closed when the tiger made a spring at the white bear. This was the signal of a terrific struggle between aU tbe beasts, who appeared at once to recover their natural ferocity. Scnilagea, hoping to intimidate the animals, fired two pistol-shots at the tiger and white bear. This act waled his late, for the tiger, leaving the hear, sprang on hit keeper, threw him down, and began to tear him with his teeth and claws. The other beasts, rendered furious by the smell of blood, oil Ml on the unhappy man and in a few minutes be was torn to pieces and almost entirely devoured, in the presence of the horrorstruck spectators, who were powertest to render assistance. ExntAOTtDTStARY ExrLOSio.*'.—ln the year 1849 Messrs. Copestake, Moore and Co., the Manchester warehousemen and silk mercers, erected a drinking fountain for the use of those passing through the city. It was placed on the south-east end of Bow Church. For a day or two past those who had been drinking- the water complained that it was highly impregnated with gas, but nothing particular was noticed until Friday night, when a person living in the churchyard'applied r light to each df the dolphins' mouths from which the water runs, when a flame shot forth and burnt from each for some time. The lights then went. out. On Saturday afternoon, between eight and nine o'clock, a fearful explosion took place, which blew the front stones of the" fountain out. Ono stone, of considerable weight, thrown across the churchyard, struck the front of the premises of Messrs. Sutton and Co., patent medicine vendors, with great force, but fortunately no persons were passing at the time. During the day tho igrotmd was opened, when it was found that one of the main pipes of the Chartered Gas. Company had given way, that th.c gas had escaped and had filled the hollow parts of the fountain and water-pipes, and had in consequence impregnated the water supplied fo? the use of the public. The defect was remedied during the day.— Times.